Today, any major city in Russia and the CIS countries has a Museum of Military Glory. This specific commemorative education was most prevalent during and after the Second World War. Similar organizations exist both in large formations of a regional scale or city, and at the level of military units (units, companies, etc.) or a public (factory, enterprise), educational institution, for example, a school museum of military glory.
Need to know …
By the end of the thirties of the last century, a military bloc had finally formed around the borders of the USSR, which included Germany, Japan and Italy. Encouraged by the militaristic circles of Western countries, Germany occupied one state after another, subjugating their resources to itself, thereby building up the Wehrmacht's combat power. All this preparation had under its main goal - the destruction of the Soviet state. In these difficult political and economic conditions, the leadership of our Motherland directed all the efforts of the people to strengthen the defense power of the country. Everyone knows about the heroic confrontation between the fascist invaders during the Second World War, but few think about the labor feat of our grandfathers in the thirties. Indeed, in order to survive and win in the 45th, over the course of ten years, economic, political and other forms of struggle were waged. For the world to see the legendary 34-ku, or “Katyusha”, it was necessary to create a huge industrial complex, which, despite the huge losses of the first months of the war, was able to rebuild and provide the necessary amount of equipment to the Red Army
... and remember
The museum of military glory, created in your city, village, factory, factory, institute, school, is the memory of millions of our citizens who gave their lives and health not only during the war, but also before it. You need to know and remember this, tell your children. One should not think that the Second World War was the last on our planet. What is happening now, many call the beginning of the Third World War, which has not yet entered an active phase. Egypt, Iraq, and Iran were aflame yesterday; today they launch artillery and mortar attacks on Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, and tomorrow the war may come to your home. One must be prepared for this, and not only have the necessary amount of equipment, but also a strong spirit and will to survive and destroy the enemy.
Museum and children
The Museum of Military Glory is only a small part of the program to educate patriotism in the inhabitants of the country. It should be understood that it is needed not by those who died then, but by those who survived, who were born after the war, to our children. Having visited the museum of the Great Patriotic War, the child will be able to visually get acquainted with samples of military equipment of that period (by the way, children love to come here precisely because of them). And also be able to appreciate the feat committed by his grandfather or great-grandfather. And it doesn’t matter what museum of military glory you come to, be it the largest or the smallest, created in a rural school, its significance does not change from this.
Let us consider as an example several similar formations in different cities of our country.
Museum of Military Glory of the Urals
In 2005, in honor of the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Victory in the city of Verkhnyaya Pyshma (eleven kilometers from Yekaterinburg), the grand opening of the museum of military equipment took place. Children really like this exposition, because samples of heavy military equipment of domestic production are collected here. This reconstructed memorial complex is dedicated to the memory of the metallurgists of the Uralelectromed plant who fell in battles for their homeland. Today's workers restored all samples of equipment that are in the museum. This anti-tank guns ZIS-2, the famous howitzers of the 1938 model, and tanks, and much more. Every year the exposition is replenished with new samples. And today this museum of the Great Patriotic War, which is in the open air, according to experts, is one of the largest in our country, along with those located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Togliatti and Saratov.
Museum Development
On Victory Day in 2010, visitors were presented with an updated exposition, the basis of which was the technique of 30-40 years. And in recent years, post-war combat vehicles began to be added, because the story did not end with a victory over fascism. We also have no right to forget about the participants in military conflicts of the second half of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first, who have fully fulfilled their military duty. Today, the collection includes more than a hundred units of weapons and military equipment. All copies were restored by the workers of the plant, and most of the exposition is on the go, participating in parades in the city of Verkhnyaya Pyshma. The creators of the exhibition note that their fundamental position is that there will never be any technology that fought on the side of Nazi Germany.
Museum of Military Glory - Saratov
This museum occupies one of the dominant heights of Saratov on Mount Sokolov. It is part of Victory Park. The Museum of the Great Patriotic War of Saratov is one of the largest in the Volga region and in the whole country. The exposition includes more than thirty units of heavy armored vehicles (including rarities), artillery pieces, missile systems, combat aircraft, helicopters and even spacecraft.
Saratov and WWII
At first glance, it seems strange to create a museum of military glory in the city, to which the war never reached. However, it is not. Yes, there were no military operations, but there were tens of thousands of soldiers who went to the front, and not only them. According to statistics, 183 military hospitals were located in the city and the region. During the war years, more than 600 thousand wounded Red Army soldiers passed through Saratov. More than 70 percent of them recovered and returned to duty. In addition, during the war years the city was a training center for commanders and soldiers of the Red Army, more than a dozen border, infantry and tank schools were located here. For example, in Saratov more than 12 thousand technicians and commanders for tank troops were trained, 130 of them became Heroes of the Soviet Union. Today, the streets of the city are named after them.
Also, military factories worked in Saratov, the most important was an aircraft factory, and Yaks were produced there. German bombers made more than 25 raids on the city, trying to destroy industry, oil depots and the bridge across the Volga. The greatest intensity of bombing attacks occurred during the Battle of Stalingrad. The Soviet anti-aircraft gunners defended the Saratov sky, in memory of this, a pedestal with an anti-aircraft gun was installed at the tank farm . At that difficult time in the Soviet Union there was no city or village that that war had passed.
Museum in Yaroslavl
On Uglichskaya Street in the house at number 44 is the famous Museum of Military Glory. Yaroslavl opened the doors of this institution in October 1981. This museum is a branch of the Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve. Exhibitions dedicated to not only the Great Patriotic War period are presented here, for example, the exposition “The Russian Road” is very interesting. It captures the time interval from the thirteenth century to the twentieth. It tells about the feats of arms of the inhabitants of this city during the most difficult periods for the country. In honor of the soldiers who defeated Nazi Germany, in 2005 a new exhibition was carefully developed, called "Winners!" In addition, samples of modern weapons are presented here, for example, nearby the museum were located unique combat missile systems of the S-200 and S-75 brands, which became a genuine addition to the military equipment park of the past years existing at the museum.
Museum in Ufa
The Republican Museum of Military Glory (Ufa) was opened in May 2000 in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the Victory. Unique rich expositions are presented here: “Warriors-Internationalists of Bashkortostan” and “Bashkortostan during the Second World War”. The visitors are presented with dioramas, small arms, household items of that period, the military uniform of soldiers of both the Red Army and the Wehrmacht, awards, a wealth of documentary and photo material, and more. The museum building is two-story, the entrance to the building is located on the side of the main alley of the park dedicated to the Victory. The place for him was not chosen by chance. Here, the Eternal Flame and the monuments of the Heroes of the Soviet Union A. Matrosov and M. Gubaidullin were originally built. Granite steles are installed on the central avenue, on which the names of 278 Heroes of the Soviet Union and 39 full cavaliers of the Orders of Glory - natives of Bashkortostan are written in gold letters. Those who got here immediately have the feeling that the heroes are not forgotten, they are remembered, loved and respected, they are proud of them. School trips often come to the park, teachers tell children about the ordeal that our country has gone through. Today’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those brave people will remember their feat.